It was during an informal
discussion in London, organised by Algeria Solidarity Campaign (ASC) on the
topic of the dangers of shale gas exploitation in Algeria, that
some participants, learning of the imminent official visit of the Algerian
Minister of Energy and Mining to London, felt compelled to take action.

The information presented during
the discussion left participants extremely concerned with the potentially
deleterious consequences of shale gas extraction in Algeria, through hydraulic
fracturing “fracking”. A shale gas well requires the high-pressured injection
of colossal quantities of water (20 000 m3), mixed with a concoction
of over 750 chemical substances (29 of which are known or suspected carcinogens, presenting health and environmental risks), together with sand, in order to
fracture highly impermeable rock, leading to the release of shale gas. This
technique has raised major concerns for its substantial use of water
(particularly worrying for the Sahara) and for the potential leaking of these
chemical substances into groundwater. It was, therefore, rejected by many
communities across the world, including France. Indeed, the latter banned it on
its soil, but has been invited
to experiment with it in Algeria.

The participants then learnt that on March 9, 2013, the
Algerian authorities had passed amendments to the Hydrocarbon Law, which opened
the way to the exploitation of shale gas in Algeria. This law was approved in a
climate of total opacity, without an open national and public debate, which
would have involved the country’s wide range of competencies, necessary for the
appraisal of such a potentially highly destructive and economically unproven
project. Economists, environmental specialists, technical experts, local communities and civil society
were not consulted prior to the introduction of this law in parliament.

The protest thus began to
take shape; the organisers; members of ASC, ACC (Algerian Cultural Collective),
and concerned Algerian citizens, started seeking the backing of other Algerian
organisations concerned about the issue. These included Algerian civil society
organisations some of the organisers had met two weeks earlier, during the World Social Forum in Tunis. The organisers also reached out to
British activists opposing fracking in the UK.

A week later, on Monday, April 15, the Algerian Minister for Energy and Mines, Mr. Youcef Yousfi, arrived
at HSBC Private Bank for a meeting to present and discuss investment
opportunities in Algeria, with the representatives of 80 British
companies. The protestors awaited
him with various placards bearing anti-fracking messages, demands for
transparency, and calls for a national debate on the subject. Mr. Yousfi
politely declined the protestors’ calls for questions and entered the building.

He started by telling the minister and the audience that he agreed with the
protesters outside and that hydraulic fracking technology is highly
controversial, with potentially serious environmental, economic and health
consequences. He added that the interests of Algeria should be those of the
majority, not the minority. He went on to talk about the discontent of
Algerians and the recent protests in the south; “these people will ask: why are
you having a dialogue with your counterparts in foreign capitals but never with us? How is it
possible that you have been pumping oil and gas under our feet for 50 years,
while we, people of the South, have been largely ignored and alienated from
this wealth that is ours? Moreover, now you want to poison our land by passing a law, in complete
opacity, without a public national debate, one that should involve, without any
restriction, national and international experts, Algerian civil society (trade
unions, various associations), political parties, public and private media
outlets and parliamentary committees”.

The participant concluded by saying to the minister: “when are we going
to have a genuine debate in Algeria on shale gas? What do you have to say to
the thousands of youth in the South, but also throughout Algeria who are angry
right now? Is it more important to talk to foreign diplomats, or to have a dialogue with us, the people, as
this means democracy?”

The minister’s answer was
predictable on the issue of debate. He advised us that he had himself pushed for the
law to be passed and that a debate did indeed take place with experts, as well
as in parliament. At this moment, our participant
retorted by: "But Algerians do not believe at all in the current
parliament. It has no value in their eyes”. The Minister did not react to this and
proceeded to downplay the dangers of fracking and dismissing all
current controversies surrounding this technology: “it is an old technique that
is well-known to international hydrocarbons experts”, emphasising that “a large
number of fracking operations had taken place around the world”. He then proceeded, to the participant’s
great surprise and disapproval, to compare and equate the dangers of this
technology to those of gold mining in Algeria. On the question of youth anger and current protests in the south, the minister
advised that the people of southern Algeria were among those who benefited the
most from the hydrocarbon industry, notably in terms of employment; adding that
those who were protesting were only seeking work with SONATRACH (state-owned oil
company).

At the end of the
discussion, the minister refused to shake the hand of the participant, who, for
good measure, was also directly criticised by the British ambassador to Algeria
for having embarrassed their guest. The participant, both bemused and surprised
by such a reaction from a senior diplomat, retorted: “the United Kingdom is a
democracy and it is my right to ask important and relevant questions that
concern the Algerian people. Your
reaction is outrageous”.

Meanwhile, chanting
continued in earnest outside until the delegation left the building. Joined by
the brave participant, the protestors were now convinced more than ever that
this was not just a fracking issue, but also a matter of democracy first and
foremost. Moreover,
they have directly witnessed the collusion of western powers with corrupt and
undemocratic regimes; as long as the latter serve and maintain the interests of
the former (as we’ve already seen happen with Ben Ali’s Tunisia and
Mubarak’s Egypt).

This may have been a small contribution to Algeria’s current democratic
struggles, but it is only a first step. The protestors feel positive and
uplifted that their action, supported by other sister-organisations, has
rattled a few cages. It’s one of many small steps that will pave the way to the
long road of transparency and democracy in Algeria.

About the authors

Hamza Hamouchene is an Algerian campaigner, writer, researcher, and a founding member of the London-based Algeria Solidarity Campaign (ASC), and Environmental Justice North Africa (EJNA). He is currently working for War on Want as their Senior Programme Officer - North Africa and West Asia. His writings have appeared in the Guardian, Counterpunch, New Internationalist, Red Pepper, Jadaliyya, Pambazuka, the Huffington Post as well as openDemocracy.

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